Chickpea Hemp Seed Sausages

Whenever I tell people I’m a vegetarian, they usually respond with one of two things:

1. Wait, you mean you don’t eat bacon?!

2. Oh, you must eat so healthy!

While both of those might be true at this point in my life, I can’t say the second one was always the case. I was twenty-one when I made the decision to give up eating meat. I had no clue what I was doing!

I went straight for the frozen section to stock up on all the faux meat Morning Star Farms had to offer.

It only took a few months of eating like that to realize that it’s extremely easy to call yourself a vegetarian and still eat a bunch of garbage. Not that I’m knocking all of the faux meat out there. I still eat it on occasion.

Like for July 4th, I bought veggie dogs that were definitely NOT considered a whole food. But I think those things are okay in moderation. On a day-to-day basis, however, I try to get my protein from sources that are slightly less processed.

Hemp seeds are easily one of my favorite plant-based sources. They’re high in omega fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, and they contain all of the essential amino acids making them ideal for plant-based diets.

They’re virtually flavorless too so you can add them to almost anything for a little extra boost of nutrition. Toast, cereal, smoothies, salads…whatever tickles your pickle!

I chose to use them as a base for this recipe along with chickpea flour and pinto beans to create a meatless sausage that’s a little healthier than what you can buy in the freezer section at the store.

Now when you scroll down, the ingredient list might seem a little daunting but I promise that you will likely have the majority of them (which are mostly spices and herbs) already stocked in your pantry.

The tamari, maple syrup and liquid smoke are used to imitate that classic smoky sausage flavor but you can always play around with whatever herbs or spices you like for the rest.

To make them, you start by adding all of the spices to a cup of boiling water (I just microwave it until boiling) and then let that sit for a few minutes. Then you warm the beans over medium heat in a skillet along with the spice liquid, using a fork to mash it all together.

After that you combine the chickpea flour and hemp seeds in a bowl, add in the bean mixture and stir everything together.

At this point, the smell may begin to allure a few curious faces into the kitchen. They might think it’s real sausage and that’s okay. Let them think it. ;)

I love that face. <3

The last step is to bake them in the oven for 10 minutes on each side. After that you can refrigerate them or freeze them until ready to eat.

I like to reheat them in a skillet with a touch of olive oil, although that part isn’t necessary if you’re trying to avoid oil in your diet. You can always microwave them, I just think the extra bit of oil gives them more of an authentic sausage texture.

You’ll also notice that I listed cayenne as an optional ingredient. I like the touch of spice it gives them (it’s very mild!) but feel free to adjust that to your liking as well.

I know it isn’t exactly a five minute recipe but considering that you get 20 sausages out of each batch, the payoff is definitely worth it.

They really are great to have on hand for a tasty boost of protein in the mornings. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Start by bringing 1 cup of water to a boil. I like to use the microwave by warming the water for about 1-2 minutes in a glass measuring cup. Add the spices to the boiling water (Worcestershire to salt & pepper/cayenne) and set aside.

Meanwhile combine 1/2 cup chickpea flour, 1 cup hemp seeds and 2 tablespoon of either ground flax or chia seed in a large bowl. Mix them together and set aside.

Warm the teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat in a skillet and then add half of the beans. Pour in 1/2 cup of the spice liquid and then use a fork to mash the beans. Stir in one tablespoon of the chickpea flour and then allow them to cook over a low boil for 2-3 minutes so that they absorb some of the liquid.

Place the remaining half of the beans in the skillet along with the remaining 1/2 cup of spice liquid and repeat the process above by mashing them with a fork, stirring the second tablespoon of chickpea flour, and then cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour the bean mixture into the bowl with the flour and hemp seeds and stir until well combined. Allow to cool to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Once the mixture is cool and has thickened some, preheat the oven to 400°F and then take out heaping tablespoons with your hands and form them into small patties. Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes on each side.

At this point you can eat them as is or warm them in a skillet with a touch of oil. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Aww Coco’s face is so sweet. Bella hangs around the kitchen with that face pretty much every time we’re cooking something. You’re always so creative in the kitchen. I would definitely try these!

My husband would LOVE these! I’m pinning this for our next brunch!

SO true. I always get a kick out of people who think if you shop at Whole Foods you’re healthy, too. Sure, things are organic or natural but you can still buy a bag of chips and a carton of ice cream for your date night on the couch. Haha!

Gaaaah I want these for breakfast! I have a bag of BRM chickpea flour in my pantry, which has sat untouched for quite some time…now I know what to do with it: ALLLL the chickpea sausages! Plus, I have a constant supply of hemp seeds and beans, so this is the perfect everyday vegan patty for when I take a break from the animal.

That pooch. I want to squuuuueeeeeeeeze her!

Just pinned this delicious recipe! YUM! Need to make it… and I hear ya! People assume that once you’re gluten free, dairy free or vegan/ vegetarian you’re automatically healthy! …but it still takes effort! :) Great job! Love your recipes as usual!

These couldn’t be more perfect! I’m so against all that horrible processed fake meat (chemical additive, soy, gluten, yuck!) …so gross! This though…is just awesome!

Oh my gosh Sarah, I am in complete awe of these. They seriously look SO SO SO amazing. The flavours, the ingredients, everything! Wowwwwww. I can’t believe they’re vegan and gluten free too. Now I definitely have to try these. So speechless right now. Amazing amazing amazing recipe! (Your dog is so cute too <3)

Coco!!! I love that face too – so cute!

And I cannot wait to try these out. They look absolutely awesome! And I kinda wish I had some for dinner right now…

Hi Sarah! You make it seem so easy! But of course, that’s why you’re a master chef! I have days when I don’t eat any meat, and it’s totally unintentional. But of course, those days sometimes include the pre-made stuff from the frozen section you mention. :)

Just made these, they are so good! Next time I’m going use fennel to make an Italian style sausage. This is a very versatile recipe. Well done.

That sounds like a great idea! Thanks for the feedback, Lina! :)

Are there any chickpeas in this recipe? Or is it just the flour? Made them and they are delicious but mine came out very dark and a bit dry so I wondered if there should be chickpeas in the ingredients list as it suggests in the title. Thanks

Hi Liz! Chickpea in the title refers to the chickpea flour, not actual chickpeas. It’s possible the results could vary depending on what brand of flour or beans you used. You could try adding more olive oil or more liquid next time to make them less dry. For what you have left, I would reheat them with oil on the skillet to give them a little more moisture. I hope that helps!

Can’t get pinto beans, can get chickpea, cannelloni, butter beans, kidney beans,garden peas.Could you suggest a good alternative that would work and, I hate that liquid smoke so would miso do or some such?

You could use chickpeas and leave out the liquid smoke.

Can you make these with any other seeds? I don’t have any hemp seeds.

You can make these with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds…really anything you like. Just keep in mind that it will change the texture but as long as you are using a seed you like then it should be fine. Hemp seeds are very small and subtle in flavor which is why I prefer them. :)

Can substitute any other flour for the chickpea flour? These look amazing and I want to try but don’t have the flour in my pantry

Hey Gus! Chickpea flour is unique in that it binds really well and is high in protein. I haven’t tested it with other flours so I can’t say that the results would be as good. Sorry I can’t be of more help. If you decide to give them a try, please let me know!